The invention relates to a clamp coupling for a fixed connection of two rotating parts, preferably a shaft and a hub. The clamp coupling comprises a slotted clamping/tightening ring that by means of a clamping screw can be elastically spread apart and is seated on the first rotating part. The first rotating part has in the area of the clamping/tightening ring axially oriented slots that extend up to the free end of the first rotating part and that separate coupling segments of the first rotating part from each other. The coupling segments of the first rotating part surround or enclose the second rotating part and can be clamped with the clamping/tightening ring on the second rotating part.
Clamp couplings serve for effecting a force-locking or frictional connection of shafts and hubs. There are one-part and two-part configurations known in the art. In the inexpensive one-part variant, the clamping ring is part of the hub while in the two-part variant it is a part that is separate from the hub. In order for the hub that is seated on the shaft to be deformed more easily, the hub has a slotted design. By means of a clamping screw that is arranged tangentially in the clamping ring, a clamping force is applied so that torque can be transmitted from the hub onto the shaft.
In the two-part variant, the hub is provided with several longitudinal slots in order to enable a more uniform force introduction into the shaft upon deformation of the clamping ring. Since several longitudinal slots are present, the coaxial arrangement and alignment of hub and shaft to be inserted are also improved. Because of the slots provided in the hub, material strain is released that may cause a slight deformation. The deformation may cause a certain non-roundness of the hub and makes insertion of the shaft into the hub more difficult.
In order to avoid non-roundness of the hub, it is known (U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,006 B1) to provide longitudinal slots that do not extend all the way up to the free end of the hub. In this way, at the end face of the hub a closed circumferential ring is formed. Because of the ring, it is however necessary to set the fit sizes such that a problem-free insertion of the shaft is still possible even for unfavorable tolerance situations, i.e., the smallest tolerance is at the hub and the greatest tolerance is at the shaft. It is then necessary however that a significant proportion of the clamping force is applied for deformation of the hub; this proportion of the clamping force is no longer available for torque transmission.
It is the object of the present invention to configure a clamp coupling of the aforementioned kind such that the two parts that are to be connected fixedly to each other, i.e., so that they cannot rotate relative to each other, can be joined without problems and ensure at the same time a proper torque transmission.